This invention relates generally to central vacuum cleaning systems, and more particularly to central vacuum cleaning systems comprising retractable suction hoses that retract through a hose valve, into a system vacuum pipe.
Central vacuum cleaning systems are well known and have been available for many years. One early design is U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,363 issued in 1972 disclosing a central vacuum cleaning system using a retractable hose. The inserted end of the hose has a compressible annular seal. The hose is pulled out of the suction conduit located in a wall or floor until the foot end or inserted end reaches the receptacle mounted on the floor or wall, at which time the annular seal on the hose engages a corresponding annular abutment at the receptacle to hold the hose in position and seal between the hose and the receptacle. Accordingly, this design requires that the full length of the hose be pulled out prior to the user using the vacuum.
In 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,596 issued disclosing a wall outlet box for a control vacuum system that connects to a vacuum hose. The '596 design does not provide any hose storage, or retractable hose features.
In 1990, U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,528 issued disclosing a hose-to-wall fitting for a central vacuum system. Like the earlier '596 reference, the features of the '528 patent were directed to a hose connection fitting only.
Later, in 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,842 issued to Christensen disclosing a motorized hose wind-up mechanism that requires a somewhat complicated and expensive mechanism for the operation thereof.
In 2013, U.S. Pat. No. 8,479,353 issued to Drivstuen et al disclosing a retractable hose vacuum system that employed a valve box having a rather large door that incorporated a seal around the entire outside perimeter. This design required a large valve box that was difficult to adapt to installations with widely varying wall thicknesses.
While most of the above noted central vacuum system designs include features that are useful in the task to perform the debris vacuum removal process, they typically do not provide a simple, quick way of deploying a long vacuum hose to a selected length through a compact valve box. In addition, these designs do not address the problems associated with installations where the wall thickness outside the wall studs very from as little as ½ inch to as much as 1.5 inches.
Accordingly, a need remains for a compact hose valve, for a central vacuum cleaning system, that can fit in small spaces and is easily adaptable to accommodate widely varying wall thicknesses.